Improvement in bed-bottoms



W. SMITH & A. D. SHORNO,

Bed-Bottom.

N0..196,492. Patented Oct. 23,1877.

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WITNESSES MCZZMM Nv PETERS. PHDYO-LIYHOGRAF'NER, WASHINGYbN. D. C

UNITED STA ES PATENT FFIOE.

WVILLIAM SMITH AND ANDREIV D. SHORNO, OF BENTON HARBOR, MIOH.

IMPROVEMENT IN BED-BOTTOMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,492, dated October23, 1877 application filed August 3, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WM. SMITH and AN- DREW D. SHoRNo, of Benton Harbor,in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Spring Bed-Bottoms; and we do hereby despring bed-bottoms of that class wherein the mattress is supported by anumber of inverted conical spiral springs fastened on long slats, andrings, with short wires fastened to both rings and springs, for joiningthe springs together; and it consists in the combination and arrangementof parts that will be more fully described hereinafter.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of our invention Fig. 2, a sideelevation of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views.

a represents ordinarybed-slats of any desired construction, and whichare united together by means of any mnnber of straight rods, 1), whichpass through them fi'om side to side.

In order to prevent the slats from moving too readily upon theserods,holes are made down through the tops of the slats, so as to connectwith the holes made by the rods in passing horizontally through theirsides. Through the vertical holes made down through the tops of theslats are driven the tapering wedges c, which bear against the sides ofthe rods, and thus, by frictional contact, serve to prevent the slatsfrom moving too readily on-the rods. Should any one of the slats becomeloose at any time it will only be necessary to drive down the wedges alittle deeper, when the slat will again be clamped to the rod. By meansof these rods the slats can be adjusted laterally, so as to be movedclose together, to fit a narrow bed, or drawn outward sufficiently farto fit beds of much greater width, and, by means of this adjustability,a single bed-bottom can be adjusted to beds of all sizes whenever itbecomes necessary, and thus save the expense of having to buy anadditional bottom for every separate bedstead. Pivoted to the inner endsof these slats by means of the plates or links d are the head-pieces e,which can be raised or lowered, as desired, and which are alsoadjustable back and forth, like the slats, upon any desired number ofrods which pass horizontally through their sides. Upon the top of eachslat and head 6 are placed the inverted conical spiral springs g, whichare connected at their tops by means of metal links 2' and rings 0.These links are formed,

as shown, with elongated eyes, so as to allow the springs to be movedclosely together when the slats are adjusted to fit a narrow bed, or tobe moved widely apart when the slats are drawn apart to fit large beds.

It will be noticed that the springs upon the top of the slats and thesprings upon the top of the head-pieces c are of different sizes, thoseupon the head-pieces being made considerably higher than upon the slats.The head-pieces can be raised upward to any desired distance without inany manner interfering with the springs on the slats. The lower end ofeach spring g is passed down through slat or headpiece, and through awasher, l, on their under side, and then the end of the spring isclinched, so that it cannot in any way accidentally come loose. By thusclinching the lower ends of the springs a very cheap, simple, andeffective way of securing the springs "111 position is found.-

The hinges by which the head-pieces e are connected to the slatsconsistof metal plates (1 of any suitable length, two of which areapplied to each head-piece 0. By means of these links or plates the endsof the head-pieces can sink down below the level of the tops of theslats, and thus the lower ends of the headpieces will bear against theends of the slats, and be supported to a great extent in position.Instead of the keys or wedges for the purpose of clamping the slats tothe rods, which pass through their sides, a thumb-screw or any othersuitable adjusting device may be used.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 1. The combination of theslats a, headpieces 0, and connecting-plates d, whereby the inner endsof the head-pieces may sink below the level of the top of the slats, andbe supported upon the slats, substantially as shown.

The combination of the slats a With the rods b, the rods being made topass horizontally through the sides of the slats, and serve as a meansof adjusting the slats back and forth, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of slats a, rods 1;, and clamping device, whereby therods and slats are clamped firmly together in any desired position,substantially as specified.

In testimony than We havehereunto se of July, 1877.

Witnesses:

A. PLUM t, We claim t1 t our hands t] 1e his foregoing 7 18th day ALFREDLES.

